Hollywood Scouts YouTube Horror Talent as Obsession Hits $111 Million and Backrooms Tops $100 Million
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 3
Hollywood Scouts YouTube Horror Talent as Obsession Hits $111 Million and Backrooms Tops $100 Million
3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jun 3
Summary
$111 million for Curry Barker’s Obsession and $100 million-plus domestic for Kane Parsons’ Backrooms have intensified Hollywood’s hunt for the next YouTube-bred horror filmmaker.
Studios see online horror creators as unusually efficient directors who can stretch tiny budgets while arriving with built-in Gen Z audiences, extending a path previously traveled by the Philippou brothers and David Sandberg.
Dylan Clark is among the most advanced prospects: his 10 million-view Portrait of God drew Jordan Peele and Sam Raimi to produce a Universal feature, and Lionsgate has tapped him for a Blair Witch reboot.
Neon has already chosen Grimoire Horror creator Sam Evenson for his feature debut Mora, while Nicolas Curcio, Caleb Phillips, Spencer Lackey and Heidi Wong are also drawing attention through large followings or new projects.
The scramble reflects horror’s status as one of Hollywood’s most reliably bankable genres, turning YouTube, TikTok and podcast audiences into a new talent pipeline.